


Cinnamon and Smiling

by starkidpatronus



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Reincarnation, Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, Modern Era, One-Shot, Reincarnation, SO MUCH FLUFF, So bad, Ugh, enjoy the awful, i'm not even good with the emotions thing so this is awful, it just got a little out of hand and i couldn't stop it and before i knew it, it's so fluffy i'm gonna' die, sooo much fluff, this is more than a little ridiculous, this wasn't even supposed to turn into what it turned into, why did I write this, wow this is ridiculous
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-26
Updated: 2013-12-26
Packaged: 2018-01-06 04:20:42
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,230
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1102328
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starkidpatronus/pseuds/starkidpatronus
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Merlin wakes up to the smell of cinnamon and doesn't stop smiling once.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Cinnamon and Smiling

**Author's Note:**

> I don't know why I keep writing so much fluff these days, but it just keeps flowing out of me. So if you're into that, enjoy!
> 
> This was supposed to be a lot shorter and wasn't supposed to go where it went but it kind of got away from me so there you go.
> 
> This was written in a few minutes and barely proofread, so it's probably terrible. And it wasn't Brit-picked, either, so if "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" isn't a thing in England, I profusely apologize if you're offended by that! Let me know if it bothers you, and I'll be sure to change it!
> 
> Happy Holidays and (since it's today) Merry Christmas! <3

Cinnamon, is the first thing Merlin can process when he wakes up: The smell of cinnamon. Cinnamon...tea? Yes, and toast. And then he processes the sound of Christmas carols playing throughout the apartment, and smiles.

He stretches, yawns, and makes no move to get out of bed. Perfectly content to let the scents and sounds wash over him, he stays there, now also smelling sausage and hearing the tinkly sound of...jinglebells? Wait, why is he hearing bells at...10:12 AM?

He sighs, deciding he should probably go check out whatever the hell is going on and rising from the sheets. Shuffling into the kitchen, he sees Arthur...cooking? All right, now Merlin's really worried.

"Arthur?" he says experimentally. "Are you okay?"

Arthur's head snaps up and he exclaims, "Merlin! You're up!"

"Well, it's kind of hard not to be, what with all the racket you're making," Merlin reasons. "By the way, why was I just hearing jinglebells?"

"Oh, yeah, sorry, knocked into this guy." Arthur holds up a plush, stuffed animal Rudolph. Merlin raises his eyebrows. To explain, Arthur squeezes the Rudolph's nose, and immediately a rendition of "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" in jinglebells starts to play.

"Wow, that's..." Merlin casts around for the right word and settles on, "...festive."

Arthur declares indignantly, "There's nothing wrong with getting in the season."

"I never said there was," Merlin counters, stepping to Arthur's side to see what in the hell he was attempting to do with the dough he was kneading. "Now just what is going on with...this?"

"Breakfast is made." Arthur gestures to the table where, sure enough, cinnamon tea, sausage, and cinnamon toast are out, along with scrambled eggs and fruit. It's pretty impressive, Merlin has to admit. Especially for Arthur, who, in the past, couldn't even manage a chicken. "I'm currently making some bread as a side for dinner."

"Are you?" Merlin's still skeptical because...well, it's difficult even for him to pull off bread by hand, so really it's pretty doubtful that Arthur will be able to do it.

"Yes," he insists, pounding the dough into various strange shapes.

"Need some help?" Merlin doesn't wait for an answer and just joins his fingers with Arthur's in the dough. Together, they manage to gradually soften it an acceptable amount. "Better?"

"Much," Arthur admits. He leans forward and kisses Merlin for a breath, pulls back, smiles, and says against his lips, "Thank you."

"Anytime." Merlin smiles back, and feels a little stupid for being so happy.

"So," Arthur stretches out the word as he pulls a small box wrapped in red out of his pajama pocket. He's smiling softly when he says, "Happy Christmas."

Merlin rolls his eyes, hates the smile that just won't leave his face, and takes the present from his boyfriend's hands. He focuses his attention on attempting to take the wrapping off the box without ripping the paper, because it really is very pretty paper, all shiny and so red, but then he ends up having to just rip it haphazardly because it won't come off. A black velvet box is awaiting him underneath, and all right, that's weird, because what is Arthur doing getting Merlin jewelry? When he opens it, though, his heart actually stops.

It's...a ring. A...ring. Arthur's mother's ring.

Merlin looks down, and sure enough, Arthur's on his knee and oh god wait is this actually happening--

"Merlin." Arthur's looking Merlin dead-in-the-eye, and all he can do is look back. "I have loved you for centuries. The first time 'round, I was stupid enough to not tell you until the end."

Merlin protests, "You tried--"

Arthur scoffs. "Did I ever say the words, 'I love you' to you?"

"Well, no, but giving me--"

"Not even at the end."

"No, but I was able to figure--"

"Case in point," Arthur breezes through Merlin's weak arguments. "I was stupid enough to let you slip through my fingers, to not realize what I was feeling until it was too late. I do not intend to make the same mistake again. I love you more than I have ever loved anything in my entire life. Ever. You know me better than I know myself, and I cannot imagine my life without you. I don't know how I was able to do anything before you came around, honestly, and I know I wouldn't get by if you ever left. And I don't want to try. I don't...I can't...I need you, Merlin. I love you. And I want to do this right this time. So please, Merlin, my best friend, former manservant, and love of my life, marry me. Please." The slight shake in Arthur's voice and the tears in his eyes make Merlin's heart swell so much that he feels like it's going to actually pop out of his chest.

"I--"

"You have to take the ring, regardless of what you say, since it's a present!" Arthur hastily adds. "And....And that means you have to say yes!"

Merlin would roll his eyes, but he can see quite clearly through this ploy Arthur's put in place for what it really is: An expression of his incredible uncertainty and insecurity about himself, that he actually believes that Merlin won't say yes, and oh, he loves Arthur so much.

"I'm saying yes anyways," Merlin responds easily, and if his voice is a little choked, then damn it, he has the right to be emotional right now!

Arthur's eyes widen. "Y-You're saying yes?"

"Yes!"

"Yes?!"

"Yes, yes, of course!"

Arthur's on his feet with remarkable speed and holding onto Merlin so tightly he can hardly breathe. That's probably not the reason his heart is beating triple-time, though. Arthur pulls back a little, but doesn't let Merlin go, keeping an arm around his neck. Arthur takes the ring and seizes Merlin's hand, sliding the ring onto his finger. They both look at it, then at each other, and melt into each other.

Staying there for awhile, Merlin lets himself forget all the pain that ever occurred in their many lifetimes and simply revels in all of the joy and love of the moment. The moment they've waited so long for, that they finally get to have. Merlin lets himself get lost in the gentle push of Arthur's lips and the smell of cinnamon and the sound of "Let It Snow" playing in the background.

"I love you," Arthur whispers against Merlin's lips.

Merlin's still smiling when he answers, "Well I hope so , considering how you're pretty much stuck with me now."

Arthur shakes his head. "You're the worst."

"Not half as bad as you," Merlin retorts.

There's fond exasperation in Arthur's voice when he asks, "Merlin, do you have to argue with me in the middle of our engagement?"

"Well I've always argued with you on everything else," Merlin reasons. "I don't see why this should be any different."

"And I love you for it," Arthur declares, cupping Merlin's face.

Merlin, despite leaning into the touch, challenges, "You love me just because I argue with you?"

Arthur rolls his eyes. "Among other things, you clotpole!"

"'Still my word," Merlin mutters.

Arthur instantly comes back with, "And it still suits you perfectly. Though I think I suit you better."

Merlin is still smiling when he answers, "I love you, too," and Arthur leans back in.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! Feedback is welcome! :D
> 
> Once again, I hope you're having a wonderful Christmas and Holiday Season! If not, I do hope life gets better. Keep hope; I'm sure whatever is plaguing you can and will be resolved. <3


End file.
